Procurement Guidelines

The Purchasing Department implements and administers the purchasing policies and procedures of the City. The Purchasing Department ensures that all purchases are made in accordance with state procurement regulations and city ordinances; that they are open, fair and competitive, and that low cost and high quality standards are met. All goods and services for all municipal departments, including the schools, are purchased by this department.

Policies & Procedures

Gardner advertises all bids in the Gardner News. Advertisements in the Central Register and Goods and Services Bulletin are placed according to statute. Both the Central Register and the Goods and Services Bulletin are published by the Secretary of State and are available in local public libraries.

Contract compliance ensures that the City and Schools award contracts in compliance with State and local regulations. The City of Gardner complies with regulations regarding the use of minority owned and women owned businesses under the SOMWBA program. Certified payrolls for qualifying projects are collected and compiled in accordance with the Massachusetts Prevailing Wage laws.

Monitoring

Contracts are monitored for quality using the following methods:

Direct monitoring - Observing the Contractor’s performance while work is being performed, services being rendered, or materials supplied.

When seeking prices below bid/proposal limits, Gardner will use pricing which is considered fair and reasonable. The Purchasing Department will obtain pricing from vendors of its' choosing and will first attempt to solicit prices from vendors with whom the City has established a positive working relationship. Whenever possible, preference is given to Gardner based vendors.

The Purchasing Department is committed to compliance with all requirements of the Public Records Law. In addition, in the spirit of open and fair competition, this department invites all concerned citizens or vendors to contact this office with regards to the procurement process, bid results or City contracts issued through this office. Our only request is that an appointment be made so the appropriate time can be designated to the issue being discussed.

The
Chief Procurement Officer (CPO) is responsible, under Massachusetts
General Law, for compliance with the policies and procedures of the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, extending to compliance with municipal
rules and regulations involving procurement. The procurement office
provides procurement to all City departments, including the Schools.

All procurement activity is regulated by Massachusetts General Laws and City Ordinances. The type of purchase and estimated value determine which law(s) apply in a particular purchase. The City of Gardner is subject to MGL Chapter 30B for goods and services, MGL Chapter 30, 39M for public works projects, and MGL Chapter 149 for building projects. The City of Gardner is also subject to the Massachusetts Prevailing Wage laws.